The Blue dragons feature the new High Energy Rubber compound which lowers rolling resistance and extends tread life. The circular based knobs transition into squares with slits that allow deforming for better grip. The Cylex 127tpi casing help keep it superlight weight.
Submitted by
OKI790
a Weekend Warrior
from Cardiff Date Reviewed: September 4, 2009
Favorite Trail:
castel coch routes
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
chain reaction cycle
Strengths:
wraps around the small stuff nicely without rebounding, lightweight.
Weaknesses:
wears down rapidly, slow roling, cant take solid hits without feeling like its gonna pinch flat, squirms and feels like its going to wash out when cornering.
Similar Products Used:
various
Bike Setup:
gary fisher cake 3, 31b, 4-5 inches front n back, xtr v-brakes, 9 speed setup with a 34t chainring, tyres currently are a panaracer cinder 2.25 on the rear and a halo choir master up front.
Bottom Line:
read lots of good stuff about this tyre which is why i bought it, it was rated very well for rolling speed and handling on wet stuff.
after 5-6 months of using it ive never felt comfortable with it.
it drags like hell on the flat stuff and saps the energy out of you even at high psi's, cannot take any hits without feeling like your about to dent your rim.
it does grip fairly well on the v.small slightly loose stuff but doesnt hook up well on anything solid and leaves you railed.
even on the loose stuff you cant turn/lean heavily as it twists on the rim and feels like its about to peel off (even though its seated very tight, it has that squash ball feel, perhaps it would perform better on wide rims).
the little grooves on each block of the tread wear off in next to no time as its soft compound (slow rebound)and the grooves are very shallow.
not sure why it got good reviews, for the price there are a lot nicer tyres out there (dragon on the sidewall looks cool tho).
basicly if your going downhill slowly on a smooth dry course and dont plan on turning or braking heavily it'll be ok,,for anything else theres better tyres for the price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
inkling
a Cross Country Rider
from wellington Date Reviewed: May 16, 2009
Favorite Trail:
swigg
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
penny farthing cycle
Strengths:
Suprisingly fast rolling speed for a grippy tire. Good in the mud
Weaknesses:
none as yet
Similar Products Used:
Hutchison scorpions
Bike Setup:
Giant Alias 09
Bottom Line:
Pretty cheap tire, nice grip and suprisingly fast on the road. Good winter tire
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brazilian Rider
a Weekend Warrior
from Chapada dos Guimaraes - Brazil Date Reviewed: February 5, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Orgasmic Hill
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
stock on the bike
Strengths:
light, cheap, rolling, good grip.
Weaknesses:
not flat resistant.
Bike Setup:
kona coiler 2005, marzocchi drop off 6", Tioga Blue Dragon on Sun Rims Single track.
Bottom Line:
These tires turn and climb very well, yet they roll fast. They work fine even on wet downhill trails with mud and roots. I like jumps and drops but I like to pedal uphill too, so these tires help to keep my bike not too heavy (I save up to two pounds)yet I can keep up to my friends on their heavier bikes when downhill, and the Blue Dragons corner as well as their mignons! I know some tires (like maxxis mignon) are more resistant, but the blue dragons are light! Never had a pinch flat, even when droping 6 feet with as low as 35 psi, but I had several flats caused by small thorns. This may be because of the wrong tube size (small) I was using.
A lot of the complains you read are from people who ride it in the asfalt... these tires where not made for that.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Liam Renaut
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria Date Reviewed: July 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Deanswood
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Sealy's
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
Everything
Similar Products Used:
K-RADS!!!!
Bike Setup:
2 Wheels, Frame, Forks... Pushy!!
Bottom Line:
do NOT buy these tyres. That is all.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brandon Faliszewski
a Weekend Warrior
from White Rock, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: July 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
A-line
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Decent grip for the first 8 months or so, I've ridden them hard for a year and the front still has plenty of tread left
Weaknesses:
Super thin side walls, ridiculous amount of flats
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis Minions (2.35 front and rear)
Bike Setup:
2006 Kona Stuff, Drop off 4, Hayes 9's, Box Guide
Bottom Line:
This is a terrible tire no matter what you're doing because they're not great for dirt jumping becuase they have quite a bit of resistance, and they're terrible for downhilling/freeriding because as soon as you drop them down to 35 or 40 psi, they pinch the tube and cause flats. Even when I keep my tires at 60 psi, I still somehow manage to get a stupid amount of flats (7 or 8 in the past year), despite being careful about what I ride through. Overall, I do not suggest buying these tires and if they come stock on a bike you buy, I would suggest changing them unless you're ready for LOTS of flat tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hui Chuen Chuang
a Downhiller
from Penang, Malaysia Date Reviewed: June 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Youth Park, Penang Hill, Mt. Erskine
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
Friend sold to me in new condition.
Strengths:
Cheap
Weaknesses:
Slippery in rock garden, easily punctured, thread finish quite fast
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis mobster, bontrager, minion
Bike Setup:
2003 Kona Stinky Primo frame, Rock shox Domain 318 fork, Truvativ Holzfeller crank, Fox Vanilla R rear shock, Shimano 105 rear derailleur.
Bottom Line:
Stupid tire. Slippery like a road tire in rock gardens and roots. After ridins in mud, your tire will have a 1cm carpet or mud on top. The tire is so thin and weak. Believe it or not, i get 3 flats in 2 days. just by accidentally riding over shattered glass on the road.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason B
a Weekend Warrior
from Centreville, VA USA Date Reviewed: June 12, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Fountainhead
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came on bike
Strengths:
Tire holds traction on steep climbs and crazy descents and they seem to corner well.
Weaknesses:
None to date, I haven't tried them in the mud yet.
Similar Products Used:
WTB VelociRaptors
Bike Setup:
2006 GT i-Drive 3 5.0
Bottom Line:
I use to swear by the WTB tires and when my new bike came with these tires I almost took them off the same day. I'm glad I didn't, on the second trip I took them to Fountainhead which is very technical single track that has some steep climbs and descents and they performed like nothing I've ever used before. I gave these tires everything I had and they took it and asked for more!
Like I said I haven't been able to test them in the mud but in dry trail use I think they are great.
I hear complaints on the tread life not lasting too long but I haven't noticed any wear yet but I've stayed off road.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Barnsley, UK Date Reviewed: June 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Grizedale
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Lightweight and tough as old boots - not a single puncture in a year of riding 1-2 times a week!
Weaknesses:
None so to speak - maybe expensive to replace.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Enduro
Bike Setup:
GT idrive 5 1.0
Bottom Line:
Lightweight and tough as old boots - not a single puncture in a year of riding 1-2 times a week! Only just starting to skid a little too much on uphill climbs but after a year what do you expect. Very fast riding tyre.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
R. Kelley
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, Oregon, USA Date Reviewed: March 31, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Mackenzie River
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
the Ebays
Strengths:
Great in the mud, it sheds right off, soft rubber soaks up the bumps, good grip in the corners.
Weaknesses:
Soft rubber wears down quickly when ridden on the road, a little heavy for an XC tire.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC, Panaracer Smoke and Dart, various Continentals, Various Specializeds, Onza Porcupine, Maxxis Larsen TT, etc.
Bike Setup:
Independent Fabrications single speed with a Vanilla rigid fork.
Bottom Line:
After 18 years of mountain biking I've found this to be the best tire for the riding I do. I ride year round in the rainy Pacific Northwest so performance in mud is the first thing I look for in a tire. I ride a rigid fork so I want a lot of shock absorption in a front tire. I run a 2.3 in the front and a 2.1 in the back. I would not call this a great all around tire. If you want a tire you can ride to the trailhead or coffeshop or if you mainly ride hardpacked or slickrock or dry and loose trails then this tire is not for you. If you have the luxury of driving to the trailhead and ride a lot of muddy, wet, steep trails and aren't too worried about weight then I would highly recommend it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Devin
a Downhiller
from Vancouver Canada Date Reviewed: January 14, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Grippy in the dirt and they look pretty good.
Weaknesses:
tread wears down really quick even if you dont skid. You cant pump them up too much.
Bike Setup:
06 kona scrap
Bottom Line:
I would recomend this tire only if you ride in dirt. IF you ride skate parks and stuff like that dont buy em. THE TREAD WEARS DOWN WAY TO QUICK??????????
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
adam phelps
a Downhiller
from calagry alberta canada Date Reviewed: November 1, 2006
Favorite Trail:
mainline
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came with my bike
Strengths:
there arnt many strengths with this tire.
Weaknesses:
side walls are really thin and tread doesnt last more then a month
Similar Products Used:
.
Bike Setup:
kona stuff
Bottom Line:
if u ride ur bike ALOT then you may not want to have this tire because it doesnt last long at all.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Thew
a Cross Country Rider
from Manchester Date Reviewed: July 27, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Winstanleys
Strengths:
The tyre looks the part, great grip off road and nice handling
Weaknesses:
I've had the tyres now for 5 days and ive already ran them down/worn them out (Theres no nobily bits in the middle anymore), to get to were i want to go i have to ride the road and this is what i think has killed these. These were on my new bike so i think i need to get something around the middle, Just looking at the price of these tyres makes me wish that i'ld sold them on ebay and put some cheeper ones on.
Similar Products Used:
N/A
Bike Setup:
GT Avalanche-Exper 2006
Bottom Line:
Great tyres for offroad, use them on the road and you'ld be lucky if they last you till the end of the weak. Skinted my slef buying the bike ...and now need new tyres :(
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Colwell
a Weekend Warrior
from Bowden, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: June 15, 2006
Favorite Trail:
none
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Bowcycle, Calgary
Strengths:
good in loose dirt and on dirtjumps
Weaknesses:
wears out if used on pavement too much
Similar Products Used:
specailized, maxxis
Bike Setup:
Kona Paskapoo
Bottom Line:
i would buy this tire again any day
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wayne
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs, Co, USA Date Reviewed: May 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Rampart Reservoir
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$33.00
Purchased At:
Jensen/Price Point
Strengths:
Large 2.1 and light at 600 Grams. Very nice round profile. No rocks in your face on fast down hills. Easy to remove off rim.
Weaknesses:
Hard to find!
Similar Products Used:
Explorer, Panaracer Trail Blazer, Specialized Tires and others. I can't remember them all.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic
Bottom Line:
Tioga Blue Dragon – The best tire that I have used on a mountain bike. They wear well! Almost no flats. Very large 2.1 and light at 600 grams. Great flotation over sand and loose stuff. I’m a Colorado Springs front range rider. We have plenty of loose decomposed granite on our trails. The Blue Dragon is becoming hard find and purchase. I don’t know what tire that I can purchase that is better for the riding that I do. This tire is the best mountain bike tire that I have ever used. If you know of a better tire that is 600 grams let me know.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kyle
a Downhiller
from enumclaw Date Reviewed: April 16, 2006
Favorite Trail:
happy trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
bonney lake bike
Strengths:
great tire
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
maxxis
Bike Setup:
kona stinky deluxe
Bottom Line:
good tire for dirt jumpin only. mabey a lil bit of trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ivan
a Cross Country Rider
from Croatia Date Reviewed: April 15, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Weaknesses:
None
Bike Setup:
Kona hoss dee-lux, stock
Bottom Line:
These tires came on my bike, and after reading reviews here I thoght I wanted to replace them instantly, but luckily I gave them a chance. And I'm happy I did, because these are the only tires that never lost traction. In a year of riding I never fell or was in almost-fell situation because tires. They brake perfectly, they corner perfectly, they simply bite the trail. Who cares if they're heavy or wear fast. At least I know I'm safe riding them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nate Henry
a Cross Country Rider
from ogden,UT/ S. Korea Date Reviewed: April 2, 2006
This is a good tire! I was suprised at how much faster I've been taking downhills. This tire made my hardtail SSSOOOOOOO cushiony and smooth. On my Trailbike the width really helps handling, but the HT is where this tire shines. While a heavier tire than I'm used to, I feel like I'm faster and expending less energy. The tire slides out sooner than some but is still predictable. I run it front and rear at about 31-34lbs and weigh 180lbs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pat
a Downhiller
from BC, Canada Date Reviewed: March 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Jimi Legs
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came stock on 06 Kona Stuff
Strengths:
-Good Grip -Nice and wide
Weaknesses:
-Back tire has worn down a small ammount due to constant road use.
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Kinetics
Bike Setup:
06 Kona Stuff with ODI Ruffian grips, WTB Pure V Saddle, Axiom Double Jump pedals.
Bottom Line:
I dont see why people say these tires wear fast. I have had these tires for three months and have rode to work and back on the asphalt every day. The only wear is that the middle row of knobs on the rear tire are slick now. The tire still grips great on trails, though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Samsun
a Downhiller
from Wales, UK Date Reviewed: January 29, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Local
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Cant remember.
Strengths:
Very light, reasonably large footprint, pretty good grip.
Weaknesses:
Wears quickly on tarmac, but it is designed for MTB so should not be an issue.
Similar Products Used:
Too many to list.
Bike Setup:
Orange Patriot 66 and Sub-Zero Big Head, also the usual trick bits.
Bottom Line:
From what I understand from the guys below that dont like this tyre, a couple I think used it on the front, although Tioga in their wisdom dont state this the Blue Dragon is not a front tyre. Keep it just on the rear and you wont go far wrong.
Other guys are complaining about the wear, thats fine, but dont complain that it wears too quickly when you are riding on roads/tarmac/concrete, it is designed for soil and small (ish) rocks.
Somebody below said it was too heavy, it made him take too long to get up to speed, you have to be joking, if you find this tyre too heavy go and pick flowers instead, less strenuous!!!
Overall this is not the greatest tyre invented but it is also nowhere near as bad as some of these guys make it out to be. I have used it in all conditions during XC and even a little DH, a pretty good all-round tyre.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kevin english
a Cross Country Rider
from broken arrow, ok, usa Date Reviewed: September 21, 2005
Favorite Trail:
turkey mtn.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
the tire
Similar Products Used:
kenda kinetics, conti survivors
Bike Setup:
heckler, fox, 5th element
Bottom Line:
These tires bite me not the trail, I've only had 'em on for about ten rides and they're shot. They didn't grip in Cr. Butte, CO and they sure don't bite on my local trails with rocks. If you need bite when hopping the rear wheel onto a rock they just spin out causing some ridiculous action. Braking while on loose trails will send the front tire skidding. Run away from these babies. They might do well on other soils and rocks, but not where I've been on 'em.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jamey Somebody
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: July 14, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Any South Mountain trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
LOL!!
Weaknesses:
Please read the bottom line...
Similar Products Used:
An inflated condom
Bottom Line:
Tires come stock on my new GT and within the first 2 minutes on cement this beauty tears and throws a little chunk of rubber 20 feet in the air as I nearly drop a load in my pants. Nothing like the thrill of forking out another $40 just to replace this pathetic recycled piece of used condom with something that lasts longer than the 35 seconds I got out of it on my ride down my driveway.... Save your money or replace this as soon as possible with ANYTHING!!! I only wish I could rate this a negative 5 because I would.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria, Australia Date Reviewed: July 6, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came on bike
Strengths:
Large volume casing
Weaknesses:
1.The knobs have these little domes under them, which make the actual knob edges only about 2mm high. They just don't grip on the climbs, and break loose suddenly. Braking is woeful for the same reason. 2. Rolling resistance and weight are very noticeable - don't like to accellerate and just won't hold speed. 3. Casing isn't very supple, even at low pressures. 4. Seem to wear quickly (a blessing so you can throw it out.)
Similar Products Used:
Tiog Extreme XC, Red Phoenix, Psycho and Psycho 2, various Panaracers, Maxxis, Michelin, Syncros and Hutchinson tyres.
Bike Setup:
05 GT Avalanche 0.5 with SRAM X9, Marzocchi EXR air, EA 50 bar and stem, Deore hyrdos.
Bottom Line:
I've already reviewed this tyre, but gave it a bit more time to see how it'd go. This is THE worst tyre I have ever used! It's heavy, doesn't pedal well, doesn't climb or brake well, and it wears quickly (thank goodness!). It came on the rear of my new GT, along with an even heavier Yellow Kirin on the front, that stayed in the shop. I've only used it was a rear tyre, it might work OK on the front but I have a brilliant Extreme XC there that's a good 200 grams lighter anyway. My little skinny Red Phoenix has more grip than this tractor tyre. GT were mad to spec these heavy tyres on their XC hardtails - it made them over a pound heavier than they needed to be. Total rubbish.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Francois
a Weekend Warrior
from Narvik, norway Date Reviewed: June 22, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
came stocked
Strengths:
track reasonabel well in different conditions, but in muddy conditions they have the tendency of keeping the mud in.Do have enough tracking uphill
Weaknesses:
terribel cornering, to weak feelin of slippin out of the corners even wenn pumped up harder
Similar Products Used:
maxxis,nokian
Bike Setup:
steakx juliafreeride
Bottom Line:
great tyre for overal use but to weak for highspeed cornering
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
john
a
from Ancaster, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: June 16, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
came stock
Strengths:
-Grippy on hardpack -ok on pavement
Weaknesses:
-major tred wear -don't grip well in corners -no traction in mud -don't shed mud -wear like hell on pavement
Similar Products Used:
maxxis hookworms
Bike Setup:
mostly stock 2005 kona cowan, new pedals, new tires
Bottom Line:
Not great on pavement (wear down like hell), ok on hardpack (have had some slide-outs), they don't shed mud, and they have no traction in mud. Cheaply made tires...go with maxxis or kenda.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Terrance
a Cross Country Rider
from Issaquah, Washington, USA Date Reviewed: May 6, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Strengths:
Pretty light weight, Very fast, low rolling resistance. Good tire on hard pack. sheds and works okay in mud.
Weaknesses:
a little on the expensive side. slips all over the place going over wet roots and rocks. no traction in corners.
2003 Jamis Dakar XC comp. stock except shimano disc brakes and ds2 xc sun rims on deore hubs
Bottom Line:
On hard packed trails this tire will work ok. If it rains and you have to go through some mud this tire will also work alright. If there are ANY wet rocks, roots, wood bridges or any other obsticles you will have to ride over this tire is not very good. If you hit a root or rock in a turn or at a slight angle this tire will wash out from under you in a heartbeat. Here in western washington just about the only way you'll get to ride is if you ride in the rain. If you live in an area where there is a good amount of rain fall you should avoid buying this tire. At times it can be downright dangerous. If you live in New Mexico or Southern California try it, you might not have the same problems I do.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Ukotic
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia Date Reviewed: April 26, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
High Energy soft rubber compound.
Weaknesses:
High Energy soft rubber compound.
Similar Products Used:
Tioga Yellow Kirin
Bike Setup:
GT Avalanche 0.0
Bottom Line:
Personally I think its strength is also its weakness. The High Energy rubber compound does everything it claims to. In that regard it’s an excellent tyre. For over two months now of almost daily XC riding I can’t fault the tyre on performance. It really handles the terrain exceptionally.
I also completely agree with previous comments on the tyres. During the break-in period these tyres are extremely sticky. You’ll find that the tyre wants to throw dirt, stones, rocks, in all different directions. The knobs are a little small to my liking and could be a little higher.
I would have given the Blue Dragon 5 chilis up until last weekend when I truly realised how fast wearing these tyres are on bitumen. 1 session of road riding produced more wear then 1 month of XC riding. Lesson learnt the hard way to stay off the road with this tyre.
Don’t let the fast wear of these tyres put you off. If you’re committed to XC riding only on these tyres you will get good life and performance out of them.
5 Chilis for value as they came stock as a rear tyre on my bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chad
a Cross Country Rider
from Loveland, CO Date Reviewed: March 24, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Mountain High Cyclery
Strengths:
Fast rolling, decent grip in loose over hardpack
Weaknesses:
Fast wearing, poor grip on off camber trails, pure rock, mud/wet, cornering
4" FS, hydraulic disc, CK hubs, Syncros rims, Marz, Fox, etc.
Bottom Line:
This review is for the 2.3 HE version:
I just have to get rid of these tires. I've tried to make them work and they're killing me on the rocky trails that I ride. Grip is the pits! They roll very fast, but despite the High Energy rubber, they just don't stick to anything on my favorite trails. And if it gets wet, forget it, you might as well walk. And they've worn out pretty quickly too. I just tossed the rear tire after three months (of limited winter riding, mind you) because it was getting too worn. The sad irony is that it gripped better than the brand new one I just replaced it with.
The tread pattern is fine, but I think the lugs need to be a bit taller to sink into the loose pack better and the side knobs need to get stiffer for cornering traction.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria Australia Date Reviewed: February 8, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Local bike shop
Strengths:
Big casing, sticky. Can run it soft.
Weaknesses:
HEAVY. SLOW.
Similar Products Used:
Numerous
Bike Setup:
05 Avalanche XC hardtail.
Bottom Line:
Too damned heavy at around 780 grams for the wire version. Takes ages to get up to speed. No way does this belong on an XC bike. GT - SPEC LIGHTER RUBBER IN FUTURE!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Freddie
a Cross Country Rider
from Harbor City, CA USA Date Reviewed: November 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Sullivan Canyon/ Backbone Loop
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$37.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles.com (fast delivery)
Strengths:
Fast rolling tire, big volume gives a very compliant ride, grippy in a variety of conditions, honest 2.1 size (measured with calipers).
Weaknesses:
LARGE Tioga logo on the sidewalls.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro, Panaracer Trailblaster, Specialized Roll X, Michelin Comp S Light (sketchy!), IRC Mythos and others.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight with Gravy Wheels (Mavic 517, Hugi 240s, DT Supercomp spokes). Gravy rules!
Bottom Line:
I was skeptical about trying these big volume Tioga Blue Dragons (2.1 size with High Energy Rubber) because I hated the big volume Specialized Roll X tires (way too much rolling resistance). Glad I gave them a go because the two tires are night and day different.
The Tioga Blue Dragons are a FAST rolling tire. They are ramped directional tires (run the big Tioga logos on the drive side) just like the Roll X but the knobs are short and stiff. I believe that short stout knobs contribute to a fast rolling tire more than anything else. If you push on the Roll X knobs you will find that there is a considerable amount of "give" in them which, in my opinion, results in a squirmy, slow rolling tire.
Despite the stout knobs the Blue Dragons gripped tenaciously in all the conditions I rode them in (loose over hard fire roads, rocky singletracks, rutted singletracks, and hardpack. Haven't tried them yet in loamy, deep sand or muddy conditions and I don't think that the Blue Dragons would be the greatest mud tire because these babies are wide and would probably cause clogging problems around the seat stays.
I am now fully sold on high volume tires. The ride is noticeably more comfortable than the low volume Fire XC Pros (now my second favorite tires) and I do feel the added compliance and reduced deflection further helps in the area of lowering rolling resistance in rougher sections.
What more can I say? I love these tires. I've only ridden them on three different three hour rides so I can't really comment on long term durabilty. I did, however, purchase the newest version of these tires with the High Energy rubber. This compound is supposed to be more durable than the slow rebound rubber that was used previously.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Atpaw
a Cross Country Rider
from Newcastle, NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: September 26, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Glenrock!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Hadley Cycles
Strengths:
Sticky and grippy on dry stuff - good grip while turning, even with a bit of loose material on top. They seem fairly stable.
Weaknesses:
Not a fan of the wet or damp surfaces. Price, at $140AUS a pair. *wince*
Similar Products Used:
Other round, knobbly bits of rubber which stop the rims from touching the ground.
Bike Setup:
2004 Giant XTC3 with stiff spring kit, Blue Dragon 2.1" front and rear, and a rear pannier for touring.
Bottom Line:
Specifically, the 'pro' version with the fancy slow-rebound compound and folding bead and stuff. These tires have been run pretty constantly at just under 40psi. The sidewall says 35psi minimum, 60 max.
These things stick madly to most substances.. Before you get a good coating of dirt on them, the Blue Dragons seem intent on sucking up even the largest of pebbles from the road and flinging them at oncoming cars as you trundle along to your favourite track. :)
Thankfully, now that they've been "run in" with a good play in the dust they don't 'pick and flick' pebbles anymore.
Rolling resistance seems pretty low, though they tend to take a bit of effort to accelerate up to speed.
Handling on hardpack and loose surfaces is pretty keen and grippy. Sometimes the back feels a little squirmy at high speed on a loose surface, but it's a rare sensation. Otherwise the tires seem to stick quite well.
Sand-riding performance is okay.. Seems on-par with most tires. Not a fan of climbing in sand when your speed bleeds off. (Are any tires?) The tread is probably a little low-lying and sparse to really work for sand. (Just guessing)
The Blue Dragons don't seem so keen on wet or moist materials, though. The clay/dirt combo that makes up most of Newcastle's trails tended to stick and cake between the knobbly bits even though the surface was almost completely dry, in little tread-deep 1" diameter splotches here and there. They fling off with a higher speed, fortunately. The tires also feel a little less grippy when the ground is wet or moist. Less confident.
I suspect the rather short and low-lying knobbly bits can't bite enough in moist material, especially once the tires start to pick up the trail and carry it with you.
Like the previous reviewers have said, they're more of an "all-condition, so long as it's dry" sort of a tire. I've done about 100 kilometres on them so far, about 50 of that on-road (to trails), the other half off-road, with no really noticable signs of wear. The 'flash' from the moulding of the tires has worn off in the centre, but it's sticking around on the side knobbly bits.
3 red things for value - they're very nice, but very expensive too. 4 red things for performance - Five would be if they didn't pick up moist claystuff so much. :)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
thomas ali
a Cross Country Rider
from london england uk Date Reviewed: July 18, 2004
Favorite Trail:
epping forest
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$46.00
Purchased At:
chainreactioncycles.com
Strengths:
good balance between grip and rolling resistance/weight
Weaknesses:
heavyish, cost, hard to find in the UK
Similar Products Used:
halo knobbler panaracer pyro michelin hot s michelin comps light
Bike Setup:
giant XtC XT/Ultegra
Bottom Line:
feels just right, grips very well on all surfaces so far havent tried it in mud yet
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sprzenciarz
a Downhiller
from Poland Date Reviewed: June 21, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$44.00
Purchased At:
internet
Strengths:
I love this tire. I like soft tires with good grip. This one holds very good on sand, grass, mud. Very good offroad tire. On asphalt it is not bad, but who drives 2.3 tire on road?
Weaknesses:
The sites are weak and not to get snakes I will have to pomp it to high pressure. Quite heavy, but I dont care about it:)
Similar Products Used:
Tioga extreme XC 2.1 - funny tire , dont know for what desighned, too big for xc, too weak for extreme. But I liked it.
$
Overall Rating:
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